RALEIGH — The N.C. Board of Transportation today approved a change to the 2009-2015 State Transportation Improvement Program for the proposed Sylva-Dillsboro Loop (Project R-4745) in Jackson County. The change reduces the length of the project and modifies the project description.

“This change allows NCDOT to focus on the most critical transportation needs of the area, while ensuring that our transportation decisions are helping to provide citizens in Dillsboro and Sylva the best quality of life,” said board member Conrad Burrell of Sylva, who represents Jackson County.

The new project calls for construction of a roadway from N.C. 107 to U.S. 23/74 east of Sylva, dropping the western portion of the project. Also, by changing the description from multi-lane freeway to roadway NCDOT staff is allowed to study other roadway designs. The western portion of the project, from U.S. 23/441 to N.C. 107, has been dropped.

The original project included a multi-lane freeway on new location from U.S. 23/441 south of Dillsboro to U.S. 23/74.